Hammock-cradle.



Patented 0011,1912.

uv VENTOR jzman Ljfiz/z/feld.

WITNESSES AT I'ORNEY COLUMBIA PLANocRAPH C0,.WASHINOTON. D. c.

HERMAN L. I-IOHLFELD, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

HAMMO CK- CRADLE.

Specification of} Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1,1912.

Application filed December 29, 1911. Serial No. 668,400.

To all whom'tt may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN L. Horn.- FELD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hammock Cradles, of which the following is a specification.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved hammock cradle particularly adapted to hold a child comfortably and safely and in a conveniently accessible position; to provide a hammock cradle that may be readily and easily constructed to form a compact bundle for transportation or storage; and to provide other improvements as will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a hammock cradle constructed in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 a fragmentary perspective of a modified form of the same; Fig. 3 a fragmentary top plan view of a further modified form of the same and Figs. 4c and 5 are top plan views, partially in longitudinal section of modified forms of details of the same.

Referring to the drawings, one embodiment of this invention includes a flexible 5 hollow substantially rectangular body por tion, comprising preferably an oblong substantially rectangular bed or bottom wall 1, oppositely disposed oblong substantially rectangular side walls 2, extending upwardly from and secured to the side edges of the bottom wall 1, and oppositely disposed substantially rectangular end walls 3, extending upwardly from and secured to the end edges of the bottom wall 1, and connecting the end edges of the side walls 2, respectively.

The bottom wall 1 and the end walls 3 of the hammock are preferably made of a strong finely woven flexible fabric, such as canvas, or any other suitable flexible fabric, and the side walls 2 are preferably made of a coarsely woven, knotted or foraminous flexible fabric, which permits of proper ventilation of the cradle. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to any particular fabric, or combina- 1 tions of fabric in constructing the walls of the cradle as all of the walls may be made of the same fabric or material or of different fabrics or materials as may be suitable for any particular case.

For holding the upper n;argins of the side and end walls 2 and 3 of the cradle rigidly within a fixed relationship, the upper marginal portions of these walls are preferably folded and stitched, or otherwise construct ed, to form a continuous marginal pocket 5 in which is loosely arranged a continuous rectangular frame 6 in the form of a comparatively rigid solid rod of mild steel, iron or other suitable material.

For holding the bed or bottom wall. of the cradle in an extended flat condition, the marginal portions of the bottom wall ,are preferably provided with a continuous gmarginal pocket 7 in which is loosely ar- 5 ranged acorresponding contmuous marginal E rectangular frame 8 of a construction similar to the frame 6 hereinbefore described.

For supporting the cradle, clue cords 10 are connected to the upper marginal portions of each end of the cradle, passing through the end walls and around the end portions of the frame ('3. The clue cords at 3 each end of the cradle radiate as usual from and are secured to a suitable ring 11 to which 1s secured one end of a cord 12, or other suitable means for suspendlng the g cradle.

To permit of the longitudinal contraction of the cradle for convenience in transport-ation or storage, each of the rectangular frames 6 and 8 may be made of two or more parts telescopically connected as shown in Figs. 2,3 and 4; for instance, as shown in Fig. 2, one end of each frame may be in the form of a solid rectangular substantially U-shaped rod 15 and the other end of the frame may be in the form of a correspondingly rectangular substantially U-shaped i tube 16, the ends of which telescope and are freely slidable over the ends of the rod 15.

"When the cradle is extended longitudinally to the full limit of the length of its walls, the ends of the rods 15 project slightly in the ends of the tubes 16, and the cradle may be contracted in length simply by telescoping the rods 15 farther into the tubes 16. The telescopic construction is such that the cradle may be contracted in length to about six-tenths of itsmaximum length.

Instead of formingthe telescopic franes f as illustratedin Fig.2, and as hereinbefcre described, these frames may be formed as illustrated in Figs. 3 or 4-. As shown in Fig. 3, the opposite ends of the frame may be formed of oppositely disposed longitudinally rectangular solidrods 20 and 21, having their ends telescoping freely in tubes 22, the tubes 22 being loosely mounted upon the rods and the rods being prevented from being entirely withdrawn from the tubes by the walls of the cradle when the frame is in operative position. The rods 20 and 21 of the tubes 22 are proportioned in this construction to P61331113 the frame to be contracted from a maximum length to a minimum length, as hereinbefore described. As shown in Fig. i, the ends of the frames may be made of longitudinally rectangular tubes 24 and 2-5, having their ends telescopically connected over rods 26 to permit of the expansion and contraction of the frame as hereinbefore described.

Instead of having a frame secured in a pocket in the marginal portion of the bot tom Wall 1 of the cradle, as hereinbefore described, the frame may be omitted from the bottomwall of the cradle and a false bottom wall 30 provided with a marginal pocket 31, and having a continuous rigid frame 32 in the pocket may be placed loosely in the cradle upon the bottom wall 1 to hold the bottom wall flat. This false bottom wall 30 has the advantage of being easily removed for cleaning or for other purposes, and also has the advantage of being invertible so that as one side is soiled the. other side may be utilized. hen the cradle is thus constructed with a false bottom wall 30, the bottom wall 1 of the cradle may be made of a coarse, loosely woven material, if preferred.

tion that this invention provides an inexpensive, strong, durable and eificient hammock cradle which in any of its forms described may be contracted to form a compact package for transportation or storage; that this invention also provides a hammock cradle which may be hung from supports arranged vertically above the ends of the cradle, thus economizing the space required for the operation of the cradle; and that on account of the comparatively rigid frames arranged in the marginal portions of the bottom wall and in the upper marginal portions of the side and end walls, the Walls of the cradle would be maintained in proper positions, and would prevent a child from falling accidentally from the cradle. It is also evident that convenient access may be had to a child in one of these improved cradles, Without removing the child therefrom, by detaching the cradle from its usual supports and placing the cradle so that its bottom Wall rests upon a table or other convenient support and then lowering the side 5 and end walls of the cradle, and that, therefore, this cradle is particularly adapted for use in the care of sick children.

This invent-ion is not limited to any one of the specific constructions illustrated, as in applying this invention various changes in construction might be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described this invention, I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. A hammock cradle, comprising a flexible bottom wall, flexible side walls and flexible end walls secured to said bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom, and a comparatively rigid telescopic frame se- .cured to the lower margins of said side walls and said end walls for holding said margins in position.

2. A hammock cradle, comprising a flexible bottom wall, flexible side walls and flexible end walls secured to said bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom, a c011- tinuous comparatively rigid telescopic frame secured to the upper margins of said side walls and said endwalls for holding said margins in position, and means for suspending said cradle connected to said frame.

3. A hammock cradle, comprisng a flexible bottom wall, a continuous telescoping frame marginally connected to said bottom wall to hold the margin of said wall in position, flexible side walls and flexible end walls extending upwardly from said bottom jwall, and a continuous comparatively rigid It is evident from the foregoing descriptelescoping frame secured to the upper margins of said side walls and said end walls for holding said margins in position.

4. A hammock cradle, comprising a flexible bottom wall provided with a marginal pocket, a continuous comparatively rigid frame formed of telescoping members ar ranged in said pocket, flexible side walls and flexible end walls secured to and extending upwardly from said bottom wall, the upper marginal portions of said side walls and said end walls being arranged. to

form a continuous pocket, and a continuous substantially rigid frame comprising telescopic members arranged in said last men tioned pocket, said frames being arranged to be expanded and contracted longitudinally to vary the length of said cradle.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of December, 1.911.

HERMAN L. HOHLFELD.

WVitnesses:

A. I. GARDNER, ALEXANDER PARK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,039,944, granted October 1, 1912, upon the application of Herman L. Hohifeld, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for an improvement in Hammock-Cradles, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page'l, lines 14-15, for the Word constructed read contracted 01' collapsed, same page, line 105, after the Word contracted insert the Words or collapsed; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the casein the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 22d day of October, A. D., 1912.

[SEAL] o. o. BILLINGS,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

